Savage Worlds: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

New Edges and Hindrances (Detailed)

Dark Sight (Major)
Your eyes are overly sensitive to light. You are nearly blind in daylight, but you can see perfectly in darkness. Therefore, all penalties that you would normally receive are reversed for you (rules on Page 76 core rulebook).

Escaped Lunatic (Major)
You have escaped from a sanitarium and have been on the run since. You may or may not be insane, but regardless of this fact your time in the sanitarium has already produced a social stigma against you. Start with no money and -2 to Charisma.

Extreme Personality (Major)
You possess an extreme personality. People react more strongly to your presence, and tend to grow to either love or hate you.

Frankenstein Monster (Major)
You were reanimated by a mad scientist from various body parts he found at grave sites, but somehow you escaped from the laboratory. You were very well-constructed, but very slow with a damaged brain-larynx connection along with a susceptibility to fire. Begin play with no money, -4 to resist heat (I.E. FIRE!), -2 Charisma, Agility costs twice the points to raise per step, and gain the stats from the Construct template (page 152 core rulebook).

Heavy Sleeper (Minor)
Even a thunderstorm from Hell wouldn’t wake you. Once your character has fallen asleep, he must make a Notice roll at -4 in order to wake up. He also suffers a -4 penalty to Vigor rolls made to stay awake.

Idiot Savant (Major)
You were institutionalized at a young age and believed to be mentally handicapped. After several years, the institute lost funding and you were turned out onto the street with nothing more than the clothes on your back. You are brilliant with a keen grasp of numbers and mathematics, but you are barely able to talk. During character creation all base stats except for Smarts cost double the amount to raise per step, with Smarts starting at a d6. In addition, you speak as if you had a much lower Intelligence.

Luddite (Major)
You were raised by parents who were staunch believers in magic. They never trusted technology and neither do you. You cannot wield ANY technological items.

Lying Eyes (Minor)
Lies don’t come naturally to you unfortunately. Normally this isn’t a problem but often becomes a problem when dealing with “nefarious” types. You character suffers a -2 to all Intimidation and Persuasion rolls where lies-even little white ones-must be told. Also, if your character plans on bluffing in poker they suffer -2 to their Gambling rolls in a poker game as well.

Magick Allergy (Major)
You are severely allergic to magickal items, such that touching them causes you pain. Therefore, you have been devoted to technology since a young age and have developed a knack for it. You cannot wield ANY magickal items.

Miracle Operation (Major)
Though born to a wealthy family as a young child, you mysteriously lost your sight. It was discovered that you had contracted a degenerative and always fatal disease. As a blind child, your early development favored indoor activities and development befitting the wealthiest of society. Your senses of touch, hearing and smell increased to compensate for your blindness. However you suffered physically in development as you grew older. As a young adult, your parents, out of desperation, paid for the services of a renown, if unorthodox physician, who miraculously restored your sight. The operation cost your family its fortune, so you set out to make your own. You begin play with a +2 bonus to Notice rolls when using sight but you must choose an attributes (strength, agility, or vigor) that take twice the points to raise to per step, and you start with no money.

Nietzsche Poster Child (Major)
Nietzsche once said “That which does not kill me makes me stronger”, and he may have been referring to you. All your life you have been making mistakes, but you always seem to come out better afterwards. In other words, treat any 1’s as rolling snake eyes (critical failure) but you gain 1 more experience per session.

Only Child (Minor)
Raised as an only child you lived a very sheltered life, one that was not exposed to the world’s cultures around him or her. Start play only knowing common regardless of your Smarts die and Edges that may grant you access to more languages.

Technological Bias (Minor)
Some people just aren’t dedicated enough to master the art of magic. Characters with this drawback suffer a -2 penalty to any rolls that utilizes “Arcana/Magic/Spellcasting”. In addition when a hero uses a magical item or device, a roll of 1 on his skill die (regardless of his Wild Die) means the item is broken. The damage usually requires a Repair roll at -2 and 1d6 hours to fix.

Wanted (Minor or Major)
Whether or not you did something wrong, the law thinks you are guilty. Your face is on posters all over. The nature of the crime determines how far and widde the charges may have circulated, but someone somewhere is looking for you. On top of being hunted your character also has a price on their head. For the Minor version, there’s a reward of 1d6 x 100 gold. A Major Hindrance ups the bounty to a tempting 1d6 x 1,000 gold. The player and GM should agree where the bounty can be collected.

Working Stiff (Minor)
You are one of the great unwashed masses of Arcanum. You are thought of as a lesser person amongst the bourgeois, upper class.

New Background Edges

Apprenticed to a Blacksmith
Requirements: Novice, Smarts at a d6+
You spent your youth slaving away in front of a hot furnace and anvil. This hero starts with a d6 Repair skill.

Apprenticed to a Shopkeep
Requirements: Novice, Spirit d6+
You spent your childhood in a shop. This hero starts play with a d6 Persuasion skill.

Army Training
Requirements: Novice, Strength d6+, Vigor d6+
You received some Army training during your youth, but were discharged for having flat feet. You gain an extra skill point that you must invest in either; Fighting, either form of Shooting, or Throwing to represent your time spent training.

Bookworm
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d6+
You have spent most of your life reading. Start with a d6 in a Knowledge skill of your choice.

Born Under a Sign
Requirements: Novice
You were born during an astronomical event. As a result, you may spend 2 bennies to cancel a GM’s benny.

College Educated
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d8+
Most people, especially women, were not afforded this level of education like you. Through some rich family member, personal hard work, or some other circumstance you have a formal college education. Start play with 4 extra skill points that can only be spent on Smarts related skills (arcane skills excluded). One of these Smarts based skills must be a Knowledge raised to at least a d6 to represent your major.

Educator
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d6+
You are a natural teacher. When helping others you have always been able to impart your knowledge or experience easier than others. When rolling to see if your allies advance at the end of a given session, a 4-6 grants them the advance (normally 5-6).

Raised by Monks
Requirements: Novice
Piety has granted you greater awareness of yourself and your surroundings, start with a d6 bonus to Notice rolls.

Raised in the Pits
Requirements: Novice, Strength d6+, Vigor d6+
Being a veteran in the local pit fights, the vicious combat has taken a toll on you. You’ve won enough fights to free yourself from the pits. Start play with an additional 75 gold and a weapon of your choice (free of charge).

New Combat Edges

Crack Shot
Requirements: Seasoned, Shooting d8+
Your character’s skill with firearms leads them to be a reliably deal devastating damage. When you get a raise on your Shooting roll, you gain an additional +d8 damage instead of the normal +d6.

Duelist
Requirements: Novice, Shooting at d6+
Your gentleman (or even gentle lady) is a deadly duelist, and anyone foolish enough to face him or her in the name of honor winds up with a bullet lodged in their chest. In a duel, this hero receives an extra face down card for each rank they have. Rules for dueling can be found here.

Improved Grappler
Requirements: Seasoned, Strength d8+
If an initial grappling check is unsuccessful (to either start or maintain a grapple), the character may immediately make another grappling attempt at -4 (including all other modifiers). This second check does not incur a Multi-Action Penalty.

Speed Loader
Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Shooting d6+
Your character has mastered the fine art of leading their six-gun in an all-fired hurry. Your hero can reload one weapon on his action, ignoring the usual -2 penalty to Shooting rolls in the same round. If your hero is using a weapon that requires a full round or more to reload, the time required is reduced by 1 round.

New Professional Edges

Bodyguard
Requirements: Novice, Agility d6+, Fighting d6+, Notice d6+
Your master recently died, and in his will you were freed from servitude. Due to your time spent watching over him you are very adept at protecting another person. At the start of combat you must designate a target to protect. If you are within 1" of them any attack directed at them is automatically rolled against you instead. You may choose another target to protect but requires an action to do so.

Doctor
Requirements: Seasoned, Smarts d8+, Healing d8+
You spent your youth preparing to become a doctor. After years of studying and hard work you have earned your mastery of medicine. A character with this Edge may ignore one point of his patient’s wound penalties when healing an injured person.

Factory Worker
Requirements: Heroic, Repair at d8+
You were a slave in a factory until a recent escape. Your time there has done terrible things to your lungs, but you have gained great skill. You may reroll Repair checks without the need of a benny.

Fate Weaver
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Miracles) Neutral god, Spirit d8+, Vigor +d6, Faith d6+
The Neutral gods all share one common ground. Fate. They are beings who do not want for luck, but are the ones that pull the strings in the greater scheme of things. As a follower of one of these gods you too are gifted with a small portion of their power over fate. How you use that power is up to you. After spending a benny, the player is given a “faux” Wild Die. The result of this “faux” Wild Die replaces the result of the true Wild Die/Skill roll if the result is greater.

Master of the Ravenous Flame
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Miracles) Darker god, Spirit d8+, Strength d6+, Vigor d8+, Faith d6+, Fighting d8+
Destruction is a part of your calling in life. You have not wasted your time and efforts to receive a small pittance in some small shack to help the poor and needy. Yours is a life of service to the machinations of your god, a god that does not want for his followers to grow fat and weak. Spread your gods words across the land like flames to the pyre. And in that… flames you shall have… Any metallic weapon deals +2 damage and emits a blood red light that illuminates a 10" diameter. The enchanted weapon is capable of lighting small objects and combustible material on fire.

Mending Spirit
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Miracles) Noble god, Spirit d8+, Vigor d6+, Faith d6+
Much like one of the Noble gods, you too now possess the abilities of a master healer. Modern science and even magical healing can only go so far. Your abilities are matched by few others in the world, stand proud of your accomplishments. Heal those who need it and guide them to a life of joy and happiness. Cast away the darkness in their hearts, and keep their spirits high. In the end, the flock will be guarded against the wolves, and you will be part of that custodian. Ignore penalties from one wound, may stack with other Edge bonuses up to a cap of two. When adjacent to friendly targets they too ignore the penalties from one wound when trying to perform a healing roll.

Principal Technomancer
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Technomancy)
Your inventions are a cut above the rest. Most inventions tend to burst into flames or fall apart when stressed too much but your creations tend to be more reliable. Instead of using the No Power Point Backlash rules listed in this wiki, this Edge allows you to use the default Backlash rules from the core rulebook (page 120).

Pugilist
Requirements: Novice, Strength d8+, Fighting d8+
Your character is considered armed at all times and you may spend a bennie to reroll unarmed damage. Additionally, you may take Combat Reflexes at Novice rank.

Ratiocinator
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d10+, any three Smarts-based skills (except Arcane skill) at d8+
Your mind is an elegant example of new world logic and precision. You gain a +1 to all Smarts-based skill checks (except Arcane skills).

Snakeoil Salesman
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d6+, Spirit d6+, Persuasion d8+
With honey-dewed lips that weave lies and fabrications like they were truths from the gods, this smooth talker could sell salt to the thirsty and air to railroad barons. The character gains a +2 bonus to non-combat Persuasion rolls. He can also use his forked tongue to initiate a Persuasion Test of Will, opposed by the target’s Smarts.

Throwing Expert
Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Throwing d8+
Either self-taught or trained by a professional, you are exceptionally good at using anything you can get your hands on as a projectile weapon. When using a throwing weapon (improve or formal), increase the range increments by 3’ for each distance category (short/medium/long).

New Racial Edges

Clanless Dwarf
Requirements: Novice, Dwarf
Your parents did not belong to a clan, and would not discuss the reasons why. Remove the Technological Bias Hindrance and replace it with any Edge that you meet the prerequisites.

Dark Elf Follower
Requirements: Novice, Elf
You believe in the philosophy of the dark elves, that technology must be brought down at any cost. This faith has strengthened your resolve, but the recent rise of technology has mad you bitter. Starting at Novice rank, and every new rank thereafter, select one power. Those powers automatically succeed, unless snake eyes are rolled. Rolls are still capable of Acing and Raising.

Disenfranchised Gnome
Requirements: Novice, Gnome
You are not a part of the Gnomish capitalist bourgeoisie and instead grew up as a day laborer. Due to past circumstances you loose the Haggler racial bonus and Weak Constitution penalty.

Foppish Elf
Requirements: Novice, Half-Elf
Raised in the city, the Outsider Hindrance only applies to Elves.

Halfling Orphan
Requirements: Novice, Halfling
Abandoned in a large city as a child, you survived by using your head to feed, house, and protect yourself. Start play with a d6 in Streetwise.

Rare Half-Ogre
Requirements: Novice, Half-Ogre
You were born to a human mother, who miraculously survived your birth. Having been raised in the city, you gain a considerable bonus to intelligence. However city life has also lessened your ferocity, and you lose a portion of your natural strength and hardiness. Replaces Giants Lineage and Slow-Witted. Start with a d6 Smarts and Spirit. Raising Smarts and Spirit only requires one point per step. Strength and Vigor requires two points per step to raise and can never be higher than a d8.

Suppressed Orchish Features
Requirements: Novice, Half-Orc
You do not really look very Orcish, but you’re still very surly. The Outsider Hindrance is removed.

New Social Edges

Card Sharp
Requirements: Novice, Gambling d6+
Your hero has a way with a deck and never feels more at home than when he’s shuffling cards. He’s learned many ways to cut, shuffle, and deal that give him an edge in a game. A gambler with this Edge only gets caught cheating on a roll of snake eyes.

Femme Fatale/Lady’s Man
Requirements: Novice
Your character is extremely adept at charming and changing the views of the opposite sex. When dealing with the opposite sex your hero gains +2 to Persuasion rolls.

Reputation
Requirements: Veteran
Whether the character is branded a hero or villain, he has earned a reputation across Arcanum. He may add his Charisma to Intimidation rolls. A negative score is treated as positive for this purpose (and the character has a bad reputation).